Mechanism for operating railway switches



Nov. 12, 1935.

o. M. STRUNK MECHANISM FOR OPERATING RAILWAY SWITCHES Filed April 30, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 12, 1935. O. M, STRUNK 2,021,028

MECHANISM FOR OPERATING RAILWAY SWITCHES Filed April 30, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 o o o- 28 X5 Xi x7 A 6 0 Z; W g o W O' Q 0 O o ii o II O 0 Z3 0 o Swen MM 0. IZSZrunX Patented Nov. 12, 1935 PATENT OFFICE.

MECHANISM FOR OPERATING RAILWAY SWITCHES Otha M. Strunk, Flat Rock, Ky.,' assignor of onehalf to William M. Webb, Whitley City, Ky.

Application April'30, 1935, Serial No. 19,078

'3 Claims. (01. 246-395) This invention relates to a mechanism for-operating a railway switch and it is primarily an object of the invention to provide a mechanism of this kind whereby the switch tongues or movable rails are normally maintained in one position and which are adapted to. be thrown or moved into a second position from a switch stand, said tongues or movable rails. when in first position being allowed to automatically move or shift under the action of the wheel flanges carried by the cars of a train travelling in one direction.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a mechanism of this kind comprising spring means for normally causing the switch tongues or movable rails to be held under effective pressure in engagement with the rails with which they cooperate, said spring means being regulatable to assure-maximum of efiiciency.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrange ment of the several parts of my improved mechanism for operating a railway switch whereby certain important advantages are attained and the device rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more convenient andadvantageous for use, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

The novel features of my invention will hereinafter be definitely claimed.

In order that my invention may be the better understood, I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in top plan with portions broken away illustrating a mechanism for operating a railway switch constructed in accordance with an embodiment of my invention;

Figure 2 is a view in end elevation with portions in section of the structure as illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view in top plan of the casing as herein employed with the upper portion removed and other of the parts being in section; V

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 illustrating another embodiment of my invention;

Figure 5 is also a View similar to Figure 3 but illustrating a still further embodiment of my invention.

As disclosed in the accompanying drawings, l denotes the rails of the main track and 2 the rails of a branch track. As is well known, one of the rails l carries a switch tongue or movable rail 3 for coaction with a rail 2 while a rail 2 carries a tongue or movable rail 4 for coaction with the adjacent rail I. These tongues or movable rails 3 and 4 are connected ina well known manner by a bridle bar 5 positioned between two adjacent ties T comprised in the road structure and which ties, as herein disclosed, are extended a material distance to one side of the trackways.

The bridle bar 5 extends beyond the trackways 5 at the same side as the extended portions of the ties T and to said extended portion of the bridle bar 5 is operatively connected, as at 6, an end portion of a rod 1. This rod l is preferably cylindrical in form and is freely disposed through the axial center of a casing C, said casing providing an interior chamber 8. The casing C is preferably f-ormed of two substantially duplicate sections 9 superimposed one upon the other with their abutting marginal portions connected, as at Ill, in a well known manner. The side marginal portions of one of the sections 9 is extended to provide the plates H which are adapted to rest upon the extended portions of the ties and to be bolted or otherwise fixedly secured thereto.

The outer end portion of this rod 1 has operatively connected therewith, as at l2, an end portion of a throw rod section [4. The outer portion of this rod section I4 carries a spherical enlargement or head l5 which is fitted within an elongated tubular member l6 carried .by an end portion of a second throw rod section H. The outer end of the bore of ,the tubular member I6 is open and of a diameter less than the major diameter of the spherical head I5.

The second throw rod section ll in turn is operatively connected, as at [8, with the operating lever l9 of a switch stand 20. The stand 20 and the lever H] are provided with coacting latching means for holding the lever in its different positions and in a manner which is well known.

In the present embodiment of my invention, the switch tongues or movable rails 3 and 4 are normally in position to maintain effective the main line and, therefore, the enlargement or head 15 of the rod section 14 is normally in contact with the restricted open end of the tubular member It so that upon proper throw of the lever IS the switch tongues or movable rails 3 and 4 may be shifted to close the branch line. However, with the tongues or movable rails 3 and 4 in their normal positions, the tubular member, I6 will allow independent endwise movement of the throw rod section I! to permit automatic shifting of the switch tongue or movable rail 4 by contact of the flanges of the cars of a train travelling back on the main line, or the mounting of the mechanism may be such as to allow for such automatic operation of the switch as the train passes back from the branch track to the main track.

mounted upon the rod 1 withinthe chamber 8 of the casing C.

One end 2E5 of the casing C has threaded therethrough the elongated shanks 21 for contact with the collar 2! whereby it is possible to effect an independent endwise movement of'the rod 1* to adjust the tension of the spring 23 as may be desired in order to assure effective maintenance of the switch tongues or rails 3 and tin their normal position. Such adjustment may be further attained by threading similar shanks 28 a through the opposite end portion 29 of the casing C for coaction with the collar 25.

In the embodiment of the invention as illustrated in Figure 4, the general operation is the same as in the first embodiment of my invention but thecasing C substantially midway its ends is provided with an inwardly disposed flange 30 whereby provision is made for the use of two springs 23'. The general assembly and mounting of these springs is in accordance with the spring 23 as comprised in the first arrangement.

In the form of the invention as illustrated in Figure 5, the casing C is provided therealong with a series of inwardly disposed shoulders 3| whereby is permitted the use of three springs 23".

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that a mechanism for operating a railway switch constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted foruse by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modification without departing from the principles and spirit thereof and for this reasonrI'do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:-+

1. In combination with the tongue of a. railroad switch, an elongated rod, means for operatively 5' connecting said rod with the tongue, a casing through which the rod is freely directed, a switch stand including a hand lever, an operative connection between the hand leverland the rod permitting the rod to have limited independent 19 movement, the rod having a shoulder arranged within the casing and fixed thereto, a collar within the casing and freely mounted on the rod, an

.expansible spring surrounding the rod between the shoulder and the collar, and means extending through an end of the casing for contact with the shoulder for regulating the spring.

'2. In combination with the tongue of a. rail- 7, road switch, an elongatedrod, means for oper 'atively connecting said rod with the tongue, a

casing through which the rod is freely directed, a switch stand including a hand lever, an operative connection between the hand lever and the rod permitting the rod to have limited independent movemenigthe rod having a shoulder t arranged within the casing and fixed thereto, a" collar within'the casing and freely mounted on the rod, an expansible spring surrounding the rod between the shoulder and the collar, and

means extending through an end of the casing for sections, one end portion of one of said sections 40 2 being tubular, the second rod section having an enlargement working in the tubular portion of the first section, the entrance end to the tubular portion being of a diameter less than the diameter of the enlargement.

OTHA M. STRUNK. 

